Tents commonly utilize a semi-rigid, segmented pole. Segmented fibreglass or aluminium poles are commonly used to support, for example, dome tents.
The inflatable tent supports of the present invention overcome several difficulties associated with commonly utilized tent supporting structures. It requires no assembly prior to use. It is not normally subject to loss by being misplaced. It is easily used by those persons unfamiliar with the erecting of tents or those persons lacking sufficient strength or manual dexterity for such an undertaking and may be rapidly and easily used during inclement weather or at night.
As opposed to most other patents involving inflatable tents, there are no manifolds at the apex, or apexes instead, inflatable tubes criss-cross one another to provide for uplifting self-erecting of the tent, and once erected, to provide structural integrity to the tent. In particular, in the prior art applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,086 which issued to Heim on Apr. 27, 1993 for an inflatable tent. Heim teaches a tent having a flexible canopy, floor and a series of inflatable tubes serving as frame hoops which, according to the teaching of Heim do not criss-cross in the manner of conventional domed tent supports. The tubes of Heim are fastened removably to the tent using sleeves that open along a longitudinal slit, wherein hook and loop releasable fasteners are employed for closing the sleeves onto the tubes. Each of the tubes are independently inflated and thus the tent of Heim is not self-erecting as the tubes are inflated as is the case in the present invention. The tubes of Heim are taught to be made of thermal plastics or vinyl and are the same diameter as the corresponding sleeves. Rigid boot cups are provided at the ends of the tubes for supporting the tube ends therein.